How It's Made — Season 27

Feb 201621m

Computer-aided designs guide the fabrication and assembly of CNC production machines before their automated systems are calibrated for industrial use. Lemon custard is prepared and deposited into pastry shells to create frozen lemon tarts, while artists sculpt original miniature war figures that are moulded, cast and finished as detailed gaming pieces.

Feb 201621m

Precision valves and protective housings are assembled into vents that regulate pressure inside chemical-storage tanks. Flavoured candy mixtures are formed into thin wafers; commercial vehicles are converted into mobile kitchens with cooking, ventilation and service equipment; and natural fibres are twisted into strands and laid together to make traditional rope.

Mar 201621m

Carbon is processed into graphene, an exceptionally thin material valued for its strength and conductivity. Miniature mechanical and electrical components are assembled into a remarkably small functional car; calibrated sensors and loading mechanisms become machines for measuring force; and layers of paperboard, foil and plastic are formed into lightweight composite cans.

Mar 201621m

Rows of light-emitting diodes, drivers and heat-management components are installed inside tubular fixtures. Peanut-butter centres are formed, coated with chocolate and cooled into finished bars, while automated medication dispensers combine storage, counting, labelling and computer-control systems to prepare prescriptions accurately.

Mar 201621m

Lightweight airframes are fitted with motors, propellers, electronics and cameras to create commercial drones. Ornamental fish are bred and raised for the aquarium trade; powerful sweeping and vacuum equipment is mounted on specialized vehicles that clear airport runways; and feathers are selected, arranged and secured to cork bases to produce shuttlecocks.

Apr 201621m

Thin pieces of wood are cut, dried and coated with combustible compounds to produce matches. Heavy frames, discs and cultivating tools are assembled into agricultural tillage machines; nested structural sections and hydraulic systems create telescopic passenger gangways; and cultured half-pearls are grown against the inner surfaces of mollusc shells.

Apr 201621m

Insect-repellent ingredients are blended with combustible material, pressed into spirals and dried to make mosquito coils. Tricycle frames are fitted with photovoltaic panels, batteries and electric drive systems; harvested oil-palm fruit is sterilized, pressed and refined; and cutting mechanisms combine fibreglass strands with resin for spray application through chopper guns.

Apr 201621m

Selected wood is cut, shaped, sanded and decorated to create traditional toys. Metal housings, heating elements and timing mechanisms are assembled into retro-styled toasters; insulated chambers and precision temperature controls become laboratory furnaces; and a wet gel undergoes specialized drying that replaces its liquid with air to produce extremely lightweight aerogel.

Apr 201621m

Steel rulers are marked and fitted with adjustable heads to produce combination squares used for measuring and layout work. Shrimp are bred and raised in managed ponds; machined valve bodies receive drilled spherical closures that regulate fluid flow; and engines, shafts, guards and rotating cutting heads are assembled into string trimmers.

May 201621m

Wooden components are carved, joined and carefully finished to produce furniture inspired by traditional Chinese designs. Conductive contacts, springs and insulating housings are assembled into electrical switches; salted fish is fermented, pressed and filtered into Thai fish sauce; and automated capping machines are built to place and secure closures on bottles and containers.

Mar 201621m

Stone blanks are cut, ground and polished into matching mortars and pestles. Tanks, pumps, applicators and controls are installed in machines that clean and oil bowling lanes; insulated combustion chambers and exhaust systems are assembled into crematories; and treated lumber is cut, drilled and joined into outdoor playsets.

May 201621m

Lightweight metal is formed, welded and pressure-tested into oil tanks designed for racing vehicles. Decorative profiles are reproduced as plaster mouldings; harvested lemongrass is steam-distilled to extract its aromatic oil; and machined jaws, pivots and adjustable bases are assembled into vises that hold fishing hooks during fly tying.

May 201621m

Discarded coconut shells are carbonized, ground and formed into clean-burning charcoal. Precision gears, springs and calibrated faces are assembled into dial indicators; ventilated worktables draw dust and sparks downward into water-based collection systems; and selected cane is split, shaped, bound and carefully scraped into responsive bassoon reeds.